Black Eyed Pea Soup

From Linae Pickard

1 lb smoked sausage (fully cooked)
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans black eyed peas
1 can corn (or frozen)
1 small onion
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bouillon cube
1/4-1/2 cup water

Melt some butter in a large pan and add chopped onion and sliced sausage. Cook for a bit, until the onion is a bit translucent. Add the tomatoes (do not drain), black eyed peas (drained and rinsed) and the water and bouillon cube. Then add all the spices. After it all boils, cover and turn the heat to low and cook about 15 minutes. Then add the corn and cook another 15 minutes.

Other variations: Add potatoes, or noodles, or rice. Tastes great with homemade rolls!

NOTE: The recipe I got from Linae was a little more vague than this, and this is what I firmed up as far as the measurements, so you might want to adjust the spices to your liking. What is here will give you a pretty spicy version. If you like it spicy though, then you can make it even more so by getting a spicy smoked sausage.

I made this soup for a contest at church and it won for the "spicy" category. See what you think! If you don't use potatoes in the recipe it freezes and reheats really well. Since Mike doesn't like soup much for dinner, I make it and freeze it for myself for lunches.